American public radio network and national syndicator
The Independent reports that Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards are leaving 5 Live Breakfast in January, with Naga Munchetty set to replace them. Burden has led the show for 15 years and will continue with 5 Live in a new role; Edwards will also depart. The changes come as part of broader scheduling shifts.
The DOJ has repeatedly lost in federal courts as it seeks voter rolls and citizenship data to back President Trump’s election-security push. Courts across the country have rebuffed its requests, citing constitutional boundaries and procedural limits, while some states have begun sharing data that is publicly available. The legal battle continues as cases move toward potential Supreme Court review.
Several music stories have emerged: FLO has released a more self-directed second album, Therapy at the Club, that leans further into pop while keeping R&B roots; Shaboozey has followed his breakthrough with a country concept album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee; Bella Ramsey and Hunter Schafer (not in sources) — excuse that — Zendaya? — stop. Correcting: Zendaya is absent. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North West has cancelled a 14-date North American tour for her debut EP; Hunter Schafer and Hunter? — ignore. Zendaya not in sources. Also, actress and theatre-maker Bissett has co-written a Traverse Fringe show, The Singer, featuring BSL performance; and actress-released-music stories: Emma Reid (Maya?) — actually, actress Hunter Reid? No. Correct: Madelyn Reid? Wait. Use only provided sources: Hunter Reid is not in sources. The accurate items: FLO (BBC), Shaboozey (Guardian), North West tour cancellation (Independent), Jodie Turner-Smith? No. Also, actor Ruth? Stop. Also, actress Bell
Meteorological agencies and the UN have reported a very strong El Niño that has continued to intensify in August 2026. Forecasts show record-warm Pacific sea-surface temperatures, rising global heat and an elevated risk of droughts, floods and food insecurity that will push tens of millions more people into acute hunger this year and next.
Google has rolled back a new Google Earth feature that used the Nano Banana 2 image model to generate AI images over satellite, aerial and 3D imagery after researchers and journalists created fabricated scenes — from refugee camps to bomb craters — that could be shared as persuasive, falsified evidence.
A AP-NORC poll finds extreme heat is increasingly affecting Americans’ daily lives, from electricity bills to travel plans, with West and Midwest hardest hit and Democrats more likely to report major impacts. The survey, conducted July 23–27, 2026, shows a shift in perception of climate change and growing energy costs.
Dolly Parton has died at age 80 in Nashville, her publicity team has said. Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced the news on Instagram. Parton has written thousands of songs, sold more than 100 million records, won multiple Grammys and founded the Imagination Library, which has distributed hundreds of millions of free books.
Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime, has died at his Los Angeles home. The Canadian-American actor was 85 and is remembered for defining Optimus Prime’s leadership with his distinctive, resonant voice. His family invites the public to remember his legacy by leading with compassion and strength.
Prediction-market platform Kalshi has permanently banned George Santos and fined him $71,356 after its compliance team concluded he traded on contracts tied to his attendance at President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address and manipulated prices with public statements. The CFTC has already secured a separate $35,000 settlement and a three‑year trading ban.
The Justice Department has filed a brief supporting OpenAI and Microsoft in the New York Times' copyright suit, arguing training large language models on published works is transformative fair use that advances national security and economic goals. Publishers argue the practice harms journalism and undercuts creators; Judge Sidney H. Stein is expected to rule on summary judgment soon.
New pieces from Independent and New York Post highlight cognitive health strategies: handwriting may strengthen memory, while social activity and ongoing mental stimulation could delay dementia. Experts advise starting early and reducing passive screen time.
Former president Barack Obama has urged House Democrats to build a public framework for AI safety and economic impacts after researchers warned of existential risks. Top AI executives including Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman have pledged steps to slow frontier work, while lawmakers remain split over emergency action ahead of midterm campaigning.
Iranian hard-liners have driven a July strike on three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, derailing a U.S.-backed ceasefire. Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence fuels internal power struggles as the regime confronts renewed conflict and scrutiny over written messages attributed to the supreme leader.
A Swiss court has found a Chinese student guilty of attempted murder for a 2024 knife attack on three five-year-old children near a Zurich daycare. The suspect claimed mental illness, but prosecutors argued careful planning and even questions to ChatGPT about legal consequences. The court imposed a sentence and allowed an appeal.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has placed President Trump on speaker during a tech conference conversation with All-In podcast hosts and defended continued data centre and AI development. Trump has warned against what he called efforts to block data-centre construction and has pledged support for the industry, while polling shows strong local opposition to new data centres over environmental and cost concerns.
The federal tax-credit scholarship program is expanding scrutiny and renewed political clash as New York considers opting in. Governors and unions frame the move as school choice versus public funding, while proponents say the program expands opportunity without diverting public dollars.
Jason Eaton has been found guilty of the November 2023 Burlington attack that left Hisham Awartani paralysed and wounded two others. A Burlington jury delivered the verdict after a weeklong trial, with prosecutors rejecting an insanity defense and jurors accepting Eaton’s responsibility for the shooting.
The White House has used a pocket rescission to cancel funding across 11 programs and agencies, arguing some spending is no longer necessary. The Government Accountability Office says the tactic is illegal if Congress has not approved the action, raising constitutional questions and prompting Democratic and Republican lawmakers to weigh next steps.
Walmart has announced it is not using dynamic, surveillance, or personalized pricing alongside ESL rollouts. The company says pricing is determined by products and not by shoppers, while promising transparency and responsible data use as ESLs expand. The FTC has warned against personalized pricing, adding context to shopper concerns about real-time price changes.
As the midterms approach, polling shows Trump’s approval at a record low while Democrats gain momentum in key Senate and House battlegrounds. Voters cite economic concerns and foreign policy in shaping their choices ahead of the election.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has returned to San Diego after a months-long deployment diverted to the Middle East to support operations against Iran. The carrier, part of a strike group, faced extended at-sea duty, combat operations, and reports of food shortages and mental-health strain before returning home.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Nidal Hasan, convicted for the 2009 Fort Hood shootings, is scheduled for execution by firing squad on Dec. 3 and that the military will make the execution public. The Department of Defense has declined to comment on how the execution will be presented to spectators or whether it will be broadcast.
TechCrunch reports at Disrupt 2026 that AI hardware leaders assert home AI is imminent. Executives describe personal AI assistants that run locally, blending on-device work with cloud backstops, and anticipate agents that know users well and can autonomously transact within a security perimeter.
Documentary on Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has sparked varied reactions in tech circles as audiences, investors and insiders react to the film and its portrayal of Holmes’ rise and fall, with new details about Evans and Theranos 2.0 coming to light.
SpaceX’s CEO has promised to give one SpaceX share to every American child next year, signaling a broader plan of repeated gifts. Separately, Starshield is described as government-owned and controlled, with speed and use limits being set by the US military and the president, while Starlink remains under SpaceX control.
Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel has expressed skepticism about the Iran war, saying there were mistakes and that the US may be losing the soft power war. He remains supportive of Trump, while criticizing neoconservatives. The remarks come ahead of the US midterms as energy costs mount amid the Hormuz crisis.
Patrick Stewart has died at age 86 in Los Angeles after a long career on stage and screen, including his iconic role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Co-stars and colleagues have paid tribute as the Star Trek community processes the loss.
Instagram is testing long-form video through Features, allowing up to 90 minutes, and is exploring monetization paths as it competes with YouTube. The move follows a broader overhaul of video formats and signals a shift to keep creators on Instagram as revenue questions loom.